VOA标准英语2010-British Government Enlists Royal Navy to

"We have large numbers of travelers who are caught in Asia and in America and the main route home that is available at the moment is through the airports that are open in Europe and that is in Spain," said Gordon Brown, British PM

Flights over Britain and Northern Europe are grounded for the fifth day in a row because of a cloud of volcanic¹ ash in the atmosphere that is a danger to jet engines. The British government has enlisted² the Royal Navy to help bring stranded³ Britons home.

With no flights flying in Britain and only 30 percent of the normal flights expected to operate in Europe, hundreds of thousands of passengers are stranded. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown says his government is doing everything it can to help its nationals get home. A main route is from continental⁴ Europe across the English Channel.

"We have put on extra capacity. Ferries will run at more than 40 thousand passengers across the Channel; Eurostar will be more than 20,000," said Mr. Brown. "The channel tunnel itself will take more than 20,000, so these are big increases in capacity."

Mr. Brown says three Royal Navy ships will supplement commercial ship services and a ship that was already headed to Spain to bring British troops returning from Afghanistan may carry civilians⁵, as well.

"Obviously we're going to need more capacity in the next few days," said Mr. Brown. Ark Royal will be sent to the channel, equally HMS Ocean will be available at channel ports as soon as possible to help people come to Britain and we are sending Albion via Spain to look at what we might do in addition to bringing Three Rifles (military unit in Afghanistan) home to add to its numbers as it travels back from Spain."

Travelers waiting in lines read newspapers about the volcanic eruption⁶, at the closed international Airport in Duesseldorf, Germany, 16 Apr 2010

The British prime minister has enlisted the help of his Spanish counterpart, Jose Luis Rodiguez Zapatero, who has offered Spanish airports as a hub for British passengers stranded further afield to get into Europe.

"We have large numbers of travelers who are caught in Asia and in America and the main route home that is available at the moment is through the airports that are open in Europe and that is in Spain," he said.

Mr. Brown also spoke⁷ to the president of European Commission, Jose Manuel Barosso, on monetary⁸ compensation for airlines and passengers.

"This is a shared European problem and he is very clear that there should be a shared European approach and I hope that we can see the European Solidarity⁹ fund or other funds to help not just airlines but to help people who have been stranded," said Mr. Brown

European Council Transport ministers are to meet Monday to further discuss the air transport situation. All flights over Britain are canceled, at least until Tuesday morning.

 

1 volcanic   

adj.火山的；象火山的；由火山引起的

参考例句：

• There have been several volcanic eruptions this year.今年火山爆发了好几次。
• Volcanic activity has created thermal springs and boiling mud pools.火山活动产生了温泉和沸腾的泥浆池。

2 enlisted   

adj.应募入伍的v.（使）入伍， （使）参军( enlist的过去式和过去分词 )；获得（帮助或支持）

参考例句：

• enlisted men and women 男兵和女兵
• He enlisted with the air force to fight against the enemy. 他应募加入空军对敌作战。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 stranded   

a.搁浅的，进退两难的

参考例句：

• He was stranded in a strange city without money. 他流落在一个陌生的城市里， 身无分文，一筹莫展。
• I was stranded in the strange town without money or friends. 我困在那陌生的城市，既没有钱，又没有朋友。

4 continental   

adj.大陆的，大陆性的，欧洲大陆的

参考例句：

• A continental climate is different from an insular one.大陆性气候不同于岛屿气候。
• The most ancient parts of the continental crust are 4000 million years old.大陆地壳最古老的部分有40亿年历史。

5 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

6 eruption   

n.火山爆发；（战争等）爆发；（疾病等）发作

参考例句：

• The temple was destroyed in the violent eruption of 1470 BC.庙宇在公元前1470年猛烈的火山爆发中摧毁了。
• The eruption of a volcano is spontaneous.火山的爆发是自发的。

7 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

8 monetary   

adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的

参考例句：

• The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

9 solidarity   

n.团结；休戚相关

参考例句：

• They must preserve their solidarity.他们必须维护他们的团结。
• The solidarity among China's various nationalities is as firm as a rock.中国各族人民之间的团结坚如磐石。